Honoring Names in Our Telephone Contacts...
TO: Learning, Storytelling and Theatre Colleagues
FROM: Elliott Masie, MASIE Learning Foundation
DATE: June 8, 2026 - Dublin, Ireland
RE: Honoring Names in Our Telephone Contacts That Have Died
As people die, their names stay in the contact list of our phones. I have about 20 names that have died in the last 2 decades. Should we delete the names? That feels strange. But, each time I see their name it feels awkward.
What if phones allowed you to grey out the name and perhaps add a year they died or other word. And, you could select if you wanted to see all of the contact names or just the ones that are alive. Or, allowed you to click on the name and go to a page about them. Or, maybe to a page with pictures and memories of them.
Love your comments:
Your in Learning & Storytelling,
Elliott
Elliott Masie, Chair, MASIE Learning Foundation
Dublin, Ireland and Saratoga Springs, NY
www.masie.com
emasie@masie.com
PS: We are heading back to the United States for the summer on the Queen Mary 2 from Southampton, UK on Tuesday. 7 days of relaxing, reading from the 7,000 book library and sailing past the Statue of Liberty in NY on June 17th - just as my father did fleeing Nazi Germany in 1938.
I just leave them as they were. When I come across their names, it puts a nice smile on my face and a few flashbacks. :o)
I hear you. I don't delete either. I get a little misty eyed when I stare at the name for 30 seconds but usually end up smiling. It would be great to have their voice attached to the contact. i would love to hear them say - "Hi Mark!" one more time.